Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-12-16
CHAPTER III.


place to the fulfllments of June. filling
the air with simmer sunshine and
beauty. Tad, under the supervision OF
Miss Smith, whose angular features
were shaded by an immense garden
hat. was wedding the pansy-bcd in til,
front yard. Miss Smith, who was {
great llower-lover, rsade somewhat OF
a speciality of cultivating swect-pea.
and pansics. which she gave away il
their season with liberal hand.
You would hardly have recognized
Tad in the brown-f;,ced boy, in blue
overalls, bending lovingly over tho
quaint, upturncl fowcr-faces that
peered into his own. He had taken to
his new vocation with surprising read.
mess, and Miss Smith secretly congrat.
ulated herself on having at last found
a boy after her own heart, though she
seldom allowed her satisfaction to show
itself in the form Oh words.
''Here comes that Forrest char
again." muttercd Miss Smith, discon-
teptedly, us she glanced toward al
acknowledgement young man who
was sauntering along the elm-shaded
street; Il wish he'd kept away about
his own business, and not come idling
round, taking your attention ofi'n YOU
work"
For Mr.. Paul E..crest was one of join
Doty's CITY boarIers, who had scraped
all acquaintance with Tad very sooi
after coming to Bixport. He seemed
to take Il singular interest in Tad
which, rs he explained to Miss Smith
arose from the boys strong resem
blance to his gcst and only brother
who had died year preyious-..th,
last enc, excepting myself, of u family
Of seven," lie said, with a sad smile
For Mr.. Forrest did great deal Of
smiling, first and last; and, curiou.
enough, Tad, in some vague way, was
reminded by it of the genial Mr.. Jones
whom lie had met in Boston, befor,
coming to Bixport. Of course, thi,
was simply an absurd fancy on hi
part. The fraudulent Jones was /:
smooil-faccd young man, with gold
tipped teoth-wiiile Mr.. Paul Forres
-i'"ric.! :: very glossy black mustache
tia, had a purplish tinge in certain
lights, ard the wi:itcst and most even
nth that were ever seen outside /:
r:iti-t's establishment; neither was til,
!,iic biucish scar visible upon Mr.
s"r,.,t's white forehead, that Tad has
'"'ic upon The intellectual brow O
'-s'. Yet, all the same, he often UNI
az, TASTY connected the two in hi:
nind. "vea while he laughed at hi.
.:.n folly III SO doing.
Miss Smith, good-morning-Tad
Any boy, how are you?" exclaimed Mr.
Forrest, with his elusive smile. rs he
lonnged idly up the garden-path, and,
ai!h coolness peculiar to himself, sal
Town on the edge of the garden piazza.
Miss Smith stiflly acknowledged the
greeting. and Tad, glancing up shyly,
said } vas pretty well. He was 4 lit
lc li;,tte cd by Mr.. Forests evident
interest I: Himself though he was not
quite s;irc s:,at he liked it. after all. He
iad notli.:.r in common with the city,
bred gcI;uer'',n, and was rather puZ-
lied to know what Mr.. Forrest could
ave in common with himself.
Come into the house after YOU get
trough wedding, Tad; 1 want you,'
,aid Miss Smith, stalking past the una
Dashed Mr.. Forrest. who sat quite at
his ease, with the ivory head of his care
'etwccl. IS lips.
'Ycs'm,' was the meek reply, aud
Tad silently continued his work, wish
ing that Mr.. Forrest would 90, for he
was very well aware that Miss Smith
did not at all approve of the gentle
mans frequent visitations.
In small village like Bixport, where
every body's business is public prop
erty. the story of Tad and his travelling
sachel was generally known, as was
also the fact that no attention had ever
been paid to Captain Flagg's advertise
ment. SO it was not strange that Mr..
Forrest should be in possession of the
same knowledge. He had referred to
the matter casually in conversation
with Tad, declaring that it was mighty
interesting incident in real life-come,
now!
$50 you never opened the little alli-
gatOr-skin sachel. to see what was in
Itch, 1ad?" suddenly asked Mr.. For
rest. after short pause.
"Why, no, sir! 1 haven't a key
and, if had, don't think it would be
Just the thing, either" replied Tad, a
little surprised at the unexpected ques-
ton.
"Oh, l don't know" remarked Mr..
Forrest, coolly; there might be some